Khartoum’s Burri Neighborhood Rebuilds After Two-Year Siege
Khartoum, Sudan – Residents of Burri, a central Khartoum neighborhood, are rebuilding their lives after a grueling two-year siege by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) ended in March 2025. The siege, which began in April 2023 alongside wider conflict between the RSF and the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF), profoundly reshaped daily life for the community, according to new research.
Niema Alhessen, a Sudanese researcher based in Cairo, details the experience in her article, “Burri Under Siege—How War Remade Everyday Life in a Sudanese Neighborhood,” published in the Winter 2025 issue of Middle East Report. Alhessen’s work, discussed in a recent MERIP Podcast episode, highlights how Burri’s residents established makeshift institutions and relied on mutual aid to survive while navigating interactions with both warring factions to secure essential supplies.
Burri’s strategic location, housing key political and military institutions, made it a focal point in the conflict. The SAF’s recapture of the area marked a significant turning point, but the scars of the siege remain.
Alhessen’s research also reveals the deep historical roots of Khartoum’s militarization, tracing it back to the Anglo-Egyptian condominium in the late 19th century. This historical context underscores the complex layers of conflict impacting the city today.
The podcast episode, featuring Alhessen and hosted by James Ryan and Deen Sharp, was recorded on March 4, 2026, and offers further insight into the resilience and resourcefulness of Burri’s residents.
Further reading on the topic includes Ali Al-Arash’s “Bread, Books, and Bombs: Burri’s Spirit of Resistance, Knowledge, and Solidarity,” published by ATAR Network in May 2025, and Khalid Mustafa Medani’s “The Struggle for Sudan” in Middle East Report. Marina D’Errico’s research on Khartoum’s urban development, published in 2023, also provides valuable historical context. A podcast dedicated to Khartoum, Khartoum podcast by Studio Urban, offers additional perspectives.
The ongoing conflict in Sudan has created a dire humanitarian situation, and the experiences of Burri’s residents serve as a microcosm of the challenges facing communities across the country. The Middle East Research and Information Project (MERIP) is accepting donations to support its continued coverage of the region.
